Adolescent dating violence is a prevalent national problem that can result in devastating consequences including, depression, injury and death. Whereas a growing body of research suggests that substance use is an important risk factor that may contribute to increased risk for adult partner violence, very few studies have examined relations between substance use and dating aggression during adolescence, a critical developmental period during which these behaviors may initiate, take root, and carry over into adulthood. Moreover, much of the extant research on the link between substance use and partner aggression suffers from methodological problems that limit our understanding of the specific nature of the association between the two behaviors. For example, most studies of relations between substance use and partner aggression have examined global associations between these behaviors at one point in time using a single measure of one type of substance use or a composite measure of multiple substance use types. This approach precludes the examination of the unique or combined effects of different substance use behaviors in relation to partner aggression. In addition, despite compelling theoretical reasons to expect that relations between substance use and aggression likely vary considerably as a function of both individual and contextual characteristics, very little research has examined potential moderators of relations between the two behaviors. The objective of this study is to determine whether, when and for whom involvement in a particular type or pattern of substance use is associated with increased risk of dating aggression during adolescence. Data will come from a longitudinal cohort study of adolescent health that spanned middle and high school (n=2636). Random coefficients growth models will be used to: (1) examine the unique associations between four different types of substance use (cigarette smoking, heavy alcohol, marijuana and other hard drug use), as well as poly-substance use, and levels of dating aggression across grades 8 through 12, controlling for shared risk factors, (2) determine whether and how associations between substance use and dating aggression vary by sex, race (black vs. white), and/or across grade-levels, and (3) determine whether and how measures of contextual violence and social control, assessed across multiple social-ecological levels (family, peer, neighborhood), moderate associations between substance use and dating aggression. The proposed study is expected to have a positive impact because it responds to growing recognition of the importance of research that goes beyond establishing a global link between substance use and dating aggression to provide a more nuanced and comprehensive view of relations between the two behaviors. Results will inform the development of targeted prevention strategies to reduce substance-related dating aggression during adolescence and across the life-span. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: Although numerous studies suggest that substance use contributes to adult partner aggression, little research has examined relations between these behaviors during adolescence, a critical developmental period during which life-long patterns of substance use and dating aggression may emerge. The proposed study will: (1) identify the specific types and combinations of substance use behaviors associated with increased risk for adolescent dating aggression, and (2) determine whether and how individual and contextual risk factors moderate relations between the two behaviors. Findings will inform the development of targeted efforts to prevent substance use-related dating aggression.